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Building a collection of jewelry is a rewarding experience, offering a physical means to preserve cherished memories from life’s milestones or places visited. To ensure these pieces withstand the test of time, proper maintenance is crucial, particularly for precious stones that have unique characteristics dictating their care routines. With some basic knowledge and tools likely already present in your kitchen, your bijouterie can be preserved as an heirloom for generations to come.
Why do gemstone and jewelry items lose their luster over time?
Gemstones and precious metals are natural materials formed by elemental reactions deep within the Earth. Consequently, they are susceptible to:
Scratches and chips;
Damage from exposure to harsh cleaning agents;
Accumulation of natural oils and dirt on the surface;
And fading due to excessive heat or sunlight exposure.
The porosity levels of stones also impact their longevity and appearance over time. Diamonds, sapphires, and rubies are considered non-porous due to their tightly packed crystal structures. In contrast, stones like opals and pearls are typically more porous, making them more vulnerable to damage from liquids, oils, or chemicals.
Even non-porous gemstones may have surface-level porosity or micro-cracks due to poor cutting or polishing techniques during manufacturing.
Advice for caring for gemstone and jewelry
Here are four fundamental rules for daily care of fine jewelry applicable to most gemstones and metal types:
Do not store jewelry together
A jewelry box serves as a sentimental storage solution for your treasures. However, without proper compartments and dust bags, pieces can knock against each other, causing harder gemstones to scratch softer materials. They are also at risk of micro imperfections from dust and dirt accumulation, rust spreading from one piece to another, and increased likelihood of tangling. Over time, this results in dullness, discoloration, and damage.
Remove jewelry when exercising
While it might be inconvenient, it’s best to take off your adornments before engaging in physical activities. Many metals can fade or oxidize upon exposure to sweat, water, and body oils. Additionally, there’s the potential for chipping, warping, or even losing a gemstone or two during vigorous activities.
If you choose to wear jewelry while working out, the optimal practice is to wash with soap and water to eliminate any lingering fluids and maintain the sparkle of your gems. Note that some materials, such as stainless steel, pure gold, or diamond, are more resistant to sweat or water.
Avoid wearing jewelry when swimming
Similarly, metals and gemstones in rings, earrings, and necklaces can be harmed by the chemicals and/or movements involved in swimming. Firstly, chlorine in swimming pools and seawater can corrode and oxidize metal, respectively. At the beach, suntan lotions and oils can strip the oiling or coloring treatments sometimes applied to gemstones to enhance their luster.
Chemicals to avoid when cleaning gemstones
Before discussing how to polish certain precious gems, it’s important to remember what not to use when cleaning them.
Bleach or chlorine: As mentioned, harsh chemicals like these can degrade the surface of gems.
Ammonia: Ammonia can cause discoloration or damage to certain gemstones, such as emeralds.
Abrasives: Abrasives like toothpaste or baking soda can scratch or damage the surface, especially of softer stones like opals.
Acids: Acids such as vinegar or lemon juice can cause damage or discoloration to some gemstones, including pearls, turquoise, and lapis lazuli.
How to clean lab-created diamonds and gemstones? The same rules apply to both natural and ethically created stones since they are chemically identical.
Guidelines for cleaning your gemstone jewelry
General advice for cleaning gemstones involves placing them in warm water with mild soap or detergent, rinsing, then gently wiping with a microfibre cloth. Generally, ultrasonic cleaners can damage or loosen stones in jewelry settings, especially those with fractures or inclusions. However, lab-grown gemstones usually have fewer imperfections than their natural counterparts because they form in carefully controlled environments, making them safer candidates for ultrasonic cleaning.
While this general advice can apply to most precious stones, all gemstones have unique properties. Here are some key points to remember for cleaning gemstones; we’ve selected some of the most popular gemstones used in jewelry:
Emerald
Emeralds rank 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale. They are relatively soft, porous gemstones that can be easily damaged by harsh chemicals, water damage, or high heat. Heat, in particular, can extend existing fractures, which frequently appear in mined emeralds.
A gentle way to clean emerald gemstones is to leave them in lukewarm water with a few drops of dish soap for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a non-abrasive cloth. Do not leave emeralds in hot water, subject them to sudden temperature changes, or soak them for longer than 10 minutes.
Ruby
The red variety of corundum, rubies, are a nine on the Mohs scale, making them (along with sapphire) the hardest stones in the world, trailing only diamonds. They are less brittle than emeralds and have no cleavage (the ability to break along internal crystal planes).
As a relatively durable gemstone, you can clean a ruby using the same method explained above, using a steam cleaner, or using an ultrasonic cleaner if the stone has no significant surface imperfections or inclusions.
Sapphire
Sapphires are composed of the same mineral as rubies. As such, they can similarly be polished using warm water and soap, steam, or ultrasonic technology if they are free of large fractures or scratches. If your sapphire jewelry has large stains or smudges, you can gently brush these with soap and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Conclusion
ColoritaJewelry is your trusted partner in the jewelry industry. We offer a variety of colored gemstone jewelry, as well as free consultation on enamel jewelry processing and raw material wholesale booking. Learn more about how we can help you promote eco-friendly jewelry business or obtain unique enamel jewelry collections.
